| JESUS
(pbuh) DID NOT DIE
The Error Of Those Who Maintain
That Jesus (Pbuh) Is Dead
he
Qur'an and hadith reveal that Jesus (pbuh) did not die but was raised
to God's presence. The Christians also believe this; however, their
belief contradicts the Qur'an. In addition, some Muslims also have
the mistaken ideas that Jesus (pbuh) died and will not return. Such
a claim is completely unfounded and, as our Lord states, those who
make it are only guessing. God tells all believers not to speculate
on matters of which they have no knowledge:
Do not pursue that of which you
have no knowledge. Hearing, sight, and hearts will all be questioned.
(Qur'an, 17:36)
Some people may be taken in by this erroneous belief,
because they fail to fully consider what it means to make or believe
such a claim. Or, they may be unaware of the responsibility that
this will place on them. We do not seek to disparage such people;
rather, our goal is to show them their mistake so that they will
abandon it. But before they can be made to realize what a great
error they are making, they need to consider just what that claim
implies. In the Qur'an, God reveals that He confounded the unbelievers'
plots against Jesus (pbuh) and that they did not kill him. It is
a grave responsibility to ignore a truth revealed as clearly as
in the words: "… they did not kill him and they did not crucify
him" (Qur'an, 4:157). In essence, believing that Jesus (pbuh)
was killed means that the unbelievers' plot succeeded, which contradicts
the Qur'an.

Who could do greater wrong than someone who invents lies
against God or denies His Signs? The wrongdoers are certainly
not successful.
(Qur’an, 6:21)
They keep others from it
and avoid it themselves. They are only destroying themselves
but they are not aware of it. (Qur’an, 6:26) |
Some people say that Jesus (pbuh) was not killed
but died when his appointed hour came. That is also untrue. According
to this error, God took Jesus' (pbuh) soul before the unbelievers
could lay their hands on him, and therefore he was not killed by
them. Yet the relevant verses clearly demonstrate that this is not
the case. Moreover, such logic is flawed. Consider the following
analogy: Three people have conspired to kill an enemy in an ambush.
Let us further assume that the person in question dies of a heart
attack before reaching the ambush site. In such a case, those who
set the ambush will presumably rejoice in the belief that they have
achieved their objective.
Alternatively, consider the case of someone who
goes to an enemy's home to kill him. However, he falls to his death
from the balcony rather than as the result of a punch during the
fight. The fact that the person in question has died means that
his antagonist has attained his objective. A similar analogy can
be imagined in the case of Jesus (pbuh). The unbelievers set a trap
designed to kill him. Yet God reveals that He foiled that trap.
If Jesus (pbuh) were to die anyway, this would mean that the unbelievers
succeeded, which is not possible. Therefore, he is still alive,
will come again at God's command, and will make religious moral
values prevail over the whole world. In effect, he will die only
after he has returned to Earth and lived until he reaches old age.
(God knows best.)
Still other people maintain that Jesus (pbuh) was
saved from the unbelievers' trap but then died at an unknown time.
Not only does this claim lack any logical foundation, it also raises
a number of unanswered questions to which these people offer no
logical explanation. God caused Jesus (pbuh) to disappear suddenly
while he was still alive. After this, nobody saw or spoke to him
ever again. This is an extraordinary situation. If, as these people
maintain, Jesus (pbuh) had lived for a while longer, surely some
people would have seen him or spoken to him. Yet we have no such
information that such a thing actually happened. Of course, it would
have been impossible for him to have lived without moving among
the people, speaking to anyone, or communicating his message, for
doing so was the sole reason for his creation and being sent to
the Children of Israel.
As mentioned earlier, this situation is unique
to Jesus (pbuh). The word tawaffaa is used only to describe his
death. In addition, no other prophet was taught the three divine
books: "I taught you the Book and Wisdom, and the Torah and the
Gospel" (Qur'an, 5:110) or has been described as: "He is
a Sign of the Hour" (Qur'an, 43:61). Only Jesus (pbuh) was raised
to God's presence while still alive, only his followers will be
superior until the Day of Judgment, and only in his case will all
members of the People of the Book believe in him before he dies.
All of this is an important proof that God has approved a very special
destiny for Jesus (pbuh), and that to fulfill his destiny Jesus
(pbuh) must be alive in His presence and return to Earth. (God knows
best.)
God's confounding of the unbelievers' plot against
Jesus (pbuh) and raising him while still alive, in both body and
soul, to His presence is a great miracle. Throughout history, God
has supported the prophets with various miracles. He revealed the
true book, the Qur'an, to Prophet Muhammad (may God bless him and
grant him peace). Furthermore, Prophet Muhammad's (may God bless
him and grant him peace) transport from the Sacred Mosque to the
Farthest Mosque in a single night (Qur'an, 17:1) and his prediction
that the believers would enter the Sacred Mosque in safety (Qur'an,
48:27) are some of his miracles. The way that Moses' (pbuh) staff
turned into a snake and confounded the illusions of Pharaoh's magicians,
the way that his hand appeared snow-white to onlookers, and the
way that the Red Sea divided in front of Moses (pbuh) and his people
as they were being pursued by Pharaoh and his army; the way that
Jesus (pbuh) came into the world without a father, spoke to people
while he was still in his cradle, raised the dead, and cured lepers;
and the way that the fire was cooled when Abraham (pbuh) was cast
into it are other miracles performed with God's approval.
The faithful believe in these miracles performed
by our Lord, and these miracles increase their joy in belief. Just
as one of the faithful believes in all of the prophets' miracles,
including those wrought by Jesus (pbuh), by the will of God, that
person must also believe that Jesus (pbuh) was miraculously raised
to His presence.
In addition, those who claim that Jesus (pbuh)
has already died have to bear in mind the loss they will suffer
when Jesus (pbuh) does return. Many of the signs regarding this
event, as revealed in the Qur'an and the hadith, have already occurred.
It is also great news that his second coming is at hand. (God knows
best.) That being the case, believers need to experience the excitement,
enthusiasm, and joy of that event, and to compete with one another
to make the best possible preparations to greet him. Therefore,
those who have become caught up in this erroneous belief that Jesus
(pbuh) has already died need to abandon their preconceptions, listen
to their consciences, and again study in detail what the Qur'an
has to say. Only by doing so will they see the truth and be freed
from their error.
Nevertheless, it will be useful to examine these
mistaken claims once again to see their groundless nature so that
those who have been taken in can acquire accurate information.
Claim 1 and Its Refutation
One so-called piece of evidence put forward by
those who maintain that Jesus (pbuh) has died is the expression:
"… when You took me back to You [tawaffaytanee],
You were the One watching over them..." in Qur'an 5:117.
These people interpret tawaffaytanee as biological death.
However, as discussed earlier, taking the soul does not always refer
to biological death. We will give a brief summary of the preceding
arguments here, as follows:
1. The term took me back is the same as
that employed in Qur'an 3:55. As we made clear in our analysis of
this verse, the word carries different senses than the English word
death. An analysis of how tawaffaa is used in
the Qur'an makes this clear. We have already looked at Qur'an 39:42
in connection with this. Now, we will consider another verse that
uses tawaffaa in the same sense:
He takes you back to Himself
at night [yatawaffakum], while knowing the things you perpetrate
during the day, and then wakes you up again, so that a specified
term may be fulfilled. (Qur'an, 6:60)

We do not send the messengers except to bring good news
and to warn. As for those who believe and put things right,
they will feel no fear and will know no sorrow. (Qur’an,
6:48)
S.161 We sent a messenger
among every people saying: ‘Worship God and keep clear
of all false deities.’ Among them were some whom God
guided but others received the misguidance they deserved.
(Qur’an, 16:36) |
As this verse states, God takes the souls of sleeping
people. While asleep, people do not die in the normally accepted
sense; the soul merely leaves the body for a different dimension
for a brief period of time. If this is considered biological death,
then Jesus (pbuh) died every night of his lifetime. Moreover, this
would be true of all people. Clearly, the verse is not saying this.
According to the majority view, tawaffaa
is used in the sense of sleep. Therefore, the verse means: "I shall
cause you to sleep." In conclusion, we can say that Jesus (pbuh)
was placed in a state similar to sleep, was raised to God's presence
while alive, and that he merely departed from this dimension. (God
knows best.)
The contemporary Islamic scholar Muhammad Khalil
Herras made the following comment:
The word tawaffaa in
this verse does not mean "death," but "putting one into a state
resembling sleep." If we accept the meaning of death, then
there can be no explanation for Jesus (pbuh) being raised dead
to God. Again, if the word is being used in the sense of death,
then there would be no meaning to the good news of Jesus' (pbuh)
being saved and purified from the Jews. Moreover, God would have
helped the Jews if He had killed him. (God is surely beyond
that.) Moreover, how are we to understand God's trap in Qur'an
3:54? For God to kill Jesus (pbuh) before the Jews would not
fit into this trap. The genuine trap is that God will raise Jesus
(pbuh) to His presence while still alive, and Jesus (pbuh) will
descend in the End Times…72
Similarly, in commenting on Qur'an 5:117, Hamdi
Yazir of Elmali draws attention to the use of mutawaffeeka in Qur'an
3:55 and says that the word is used in the same sense in both verses.
Hamdi Yazir of Elmali gives the following exposition in his commentary:
But when You took my soul, You
took me from among them and raised me.73
In other words, the expression "You took me back"
refers not to his biological death; rather, it indicates that he
was raised to God's presence in a state resembling sleep and thereby
removed from this dimension. (God knows best.)

The religion with God is Islam. (Qur’an, 3:19) |
2. Some people misinterpret the tidings given in
Qur'an 5:116-17 and, as a result, fall into a number of errors.
However, when these verses are examined in the light of the following
verses and the interpretations of Islamic scholars, the errors of
such people are exposed. For example;
And when God asks: "Jesus son
of Mary. Did you say to people: 'Take me and my mother as deities
besides God?'" he will reply: "Glory be to You! It is not for
me to say what I have no right to say! If I had said it, then
You would have known it. You know what is in my self, but I do
not know what is in Your Self. You are the Knower of all unseen
things." (Qur'an, 5:116)
The people in question claim that this question
posed by God reveals that Jesus (pbuh) died. However, the expression
revealed here deals with our Lord speaking to Jesus (pbuh) on the
Day of Judgment. When the verses following this one are examined,
this becomes quite clear:
[Jesus will say:]"I said to them
nothing but what You ordered me to say: 'Worship God, my Lord
and your Lord.' I was a witness against them as long as I remained
among them. But when You took me back to You, You were the One
watching over them. You are Witness of all things. If You punish
them, they are Your servants. If you forgive them, You are the
Almighty, the All-Wise." God will say: "This is the Day when the
sincerity of the sincere will benefit them. They will have gardens
with rivers flowing under them, remaining in them timelessly,
for ever and ever. God is pleased with them and they are pleased
with Him. That is the great victory." (Qur'an, 5:117-19)
The Jews and Christians
say, ‘We are God’s children and His loved ones.’
Say: “Why, then, does He punish you for your wrong
actions? No, you are merely human beings among those He
has created...” (Qur’an, 5:18)
 |
Moreover, the Qur'an contains other information
about the Day of Judgment. Abu Lahab is one example of those told
by our Lord, while he was still alive, that he would go to Hell:
Ruin to the hands of Abu Lahab
and ruin to him! His wealth has not helped him, nor anything he
has earned. He will burn in a Flaming Fire. And so will his wife,
the firewood-carrier, with a rope of twisted fiber round her neck.
(Qur'an, 111:1-5)
Similarly, the Qur'an reveals that God calls people
to account on the Day of Judgment and that the guardians of Hell
speak with those who have earned suffering for themselves:
O company of jinn and human beings!
Did not messengers come to you from among yourselves, relating
My signs to you and warning you of the encounter of this day?
They will say: "We testify against ourselves." The life of this
world deluded them, and they will testify against themselves that
they were unbelievers. (Qur'an, 6:130)
Those who do not believe will
be driven to Hell in companies. When they arrive there and its
gates are opened, its custodians will ask them: "Did messengers
from yourselves not come to you, reciting your Lord's signs to
you and warning you of the meeting on this day?" They will reply:
"Indeed they did." But the decree of punishment is justly carried
out against the unbelievers. (Qur'an, 39:71)
As we have seen, God gives examples of conversations
carried out in the Hereafter. The conversation with Jesus (pbuh)
will take place with our Lord in the Hereafter, after he has come
to Earth for a second time and then died.
Christians have fallen into serious error by deifying
Jesus (pbuh). (God is surely beyond that.) Those who adhere to this
error will have to give an account in God's presence on the Day
of Judgment. According to the Qur'an, Jesus (pbuh) will bear witness
that they turned away from the true religion, because, like all
other prophets, he called his society to believe in God as the one
and only and to serve only Him. Qur'an 5:119 says that this event
will occur in the Hereafter, which means that it refers to the Day
of Judgment, as revealed in the above verses. The sentence "This
is the day when the sincerity of the sincere will benefit them"
indicates this.
In conclusion, this conversation refers to the
future, not the past. In addition, there is no indication given
in the verse "when You took me back to You" that can be
interpreted in such a way to support the mistaken claim that Jesus
(pbuh) died in the past. Thus, this verse cannot be used as evidence
that Jesus (pbuh) has already died.
As
stated earlier, the great majority of Islamic scholars agree that
these verses refer to Jesus' (pbuh) ascension to God's presence.
For instance, Fakhr al-Din al-Razi said that the verse means "Jesus'
(pbuh) raising to the sky."74 Similarly, Ibn
Kathir said that this does not point to his death, but describes
a conversation that will take place on the Day of Judgment. He also
said that the word in the familiar sense of (biological) death is
not used in the verse.75 In his book Mawqif
al-'Aql, Sheikh al-Islam Mustafa Sabri analysed the verse in
the following terms: "You took and raised me from among them,
and put an end to my relationship with Earth." He then continued:
"This is taking by raising to His presence; it is not killing."
Such modern commentators as Hasan Basri Cantay, Omer Nasuhi Bilmen,
and al-Sabuni have said that "You took me back to You" means "You
raised me from among them to the heavens."76
Claim 2 and Its Refutation
O People of
the Book! Our Messenger has come to you, making things clear
to you, after a period with no messengers, lest you should
say, ‘No one came to us bringing good news or warning.’
Someone has come to you bringing good news and a warning.
God has power over all things. (Qur’an, 5:19)
 |
As stated earlier, Jesus' (pbuh) ascension to God's
presence is an important piece of evidence that he never died. People
who misunderstand this truth, however, have sought to interpret
his ascension in terms of the concepts of time and space, which
apply to us. As a result, they assert that Jesus (pbuh) is present
in the sky in physical form, which then leads them to deny his ascension
to God's presence. But this is a most mistaken view. First and foremost,
the intention behind raising Jesus (pbuh) to His presence was not
so that he could live physically in the heavens, but to take him
to a separate dimension, one independent of time and space. (God
knows best.)
Human beings inhabit a dimension bounded by time
and space and can only perceive and understand events within that
dimension, as far as God permits and in the manner desired by Him.
However, many verses reveal that there are other dimensions of which
we know nothing, such as that inhabited by angels and jinns. With
our Lord's approval, angels and jinns can cross from their own dimension
to ours. An examination of the relevant verses will clarify this
matter for us.
1. God is the Lord of the Worlds
One of God's names is "Lord of the worlds." This
indicates the existence of worlds other than the one known to and
inhabited by human beings. (God knows best.) God is the Creator
and Lord of all worlds, even of those that are both known and unknown
to us and that we can and cannot perceive. This name appears in
various verses, some of which are presented below:
[Noah said:] "I do not ask you
for any wage for it. My wage is the responsibility of no one but
the Lord of all the worlds." (Qur'an, 26:109)
Truly, it is revelation sent
down by the Lord of all the worlds. (Qur'an, 26:192)
But when he [Moses] reached it,
a voice called out to him: "Blessed be him who is in the Fire
and all who are around it. Glory be to God, the Lord of all
the worlds!" (Qur'an, 27:8)
But when he reached it, a voice
called out to him from the right-hand side of the valley in the
part that was full of blessing, from out of the bush: "Moses,
I am God, the Lord of all the worlds." (Qur'an, 28:30)
The revelation of the Book, in
which there is no doubt, is from the Lord of the worlds.
(Qur'an, 32:2)
You will see the angels circling
round the Throne, glorifying their Lord with praise. It will be
decided between them with truth. And it will be said: "Praise
be to God, the Lord of all the worlds." (Qur'an, 39:75)
2. Martyrs Inhabit a Dimension Unknown to Human Beings
Other verses that point to the existence of dimensions
are those that reveal the rank and position of martyrs. For example:
Do not say that those who are
killed in the way of God are dead. On the contrary, they are alive,
but you are not aware of it. (Qur'an, 2:154)
In other words, even though martyrs appear to have
died in the biological sense, He states that they are alive, but
that we cannot fully understand their true situation. The expression
"they are alive, but you are not aware of it" indicates that people
have no knowledge of this subject and cannot understand it, for
they are only familiar with the conditions of this world. (God knows
best.) Other verses reveal that martyrs live in the manner appointed
for them by God in a very different dimension, one in which there
is no time and space:
Do not suppose that those killed
in the way of God are dead. No indeed! They are alive and well
provided for in the very presence of their Lord, delighting in
the favor God has bestowed on them, rejoicing over those they
left behind who have not yet joined them, feeling no fear and
knowing no sorrow, rejoicing in blessings and favor from God,
and that God does not let the wage of the believers go to waste.
(Qur'an, 3:169-71)
In this dimension, martyrs are sustained, feel
joy, and wish to give glad tidings to those who come later. Those
who feel unnecessary doubts and concerns about Jesus (pbuh) being
raised to God's presence because they fail to understand the essence
of this event should, necessarily, also doubt the existence of this
dimension. Yet there is no evidence to provoke such doubt. On the
other hand, there is a clear proof that, just like martyrs, angels,
and jinns, Jesus (pbuh) inhabits a dimension about which we know
nothing, and that he will return to Earth when God wills. God raised
Jesus (pbuh) to His presence, and, when the time established by
God comes, he will return to this dimension, which is bound by time
and space. (God knows best.)
3. Angels Descend to Earth and Ascend to God's Presence
Belief in angels is one of Islam's fundamental
tenets of faith. The Qur'an contains some information about these
entities: They constantly praise and glorify God, do what He tells
them to do perfectly and fully, have sincerely submitted to Him,
and inhabit a dimension that is not bound by time and space. As
regards this last point, consider the following verses:
[This punishment is] From God
- the Lord of the Ascending Steps. The angels and the Spirit ascend
to Him in a day whose length is fifty thousand years. (Qur'an,
70:3-4)
The
expression "a day whose length is fifty thousand years"
shows that angels are not bound by the human concept of time. Furthermore,
it is a proof that there is a life beyond this concept, one that
does not resemble the life in this world and is not bound by the
concepts of time or space. It is very possible that Jesus (pbuh)
is living in such a dimension. (God knows best.)
The fact that God sends angels to Earth to perform
specific tasks shows that there is a transition between the human
and other dimensions. Some of their tasks are to transmit God's
revelations to human beings and to help and support believers:
And when you asked the believers:
"Is it not enough for you that your Lord reinforced you with three
thousand angels, sent down?" (Qur'an, 3:124)
He sends down angels, as He wills,
with the Spirit of His command to any of His servants: "Give warning
that there is no deity but Me, so have fear of [and respect] Me!"
(Qur'an, 16:2)
Another verse reveals that angels can descend to
Earth to carry out various duties approved by God:
In it, the angels and the Spirit
descend by their Lord's authority with every ordinance. (Qur'an,
97:4)
In addition, angels were sent as messengers to
Abraham (pbuh) and Lot (pbuh) to inform them that their peoples
would be punished; that they came to Zechariah with the glad tidings
of a child; and that they came to Mary, telling her that God had
chosen her and that she would bear a son named Jesus (pbuh). The
revelation of the Qur'an to our Prophet (may God bless him and grant
him peace) by means of the angel Gabriel, as well as our Prophet's
seeing him, is revealed as follows:
[The Qur'an is] taught him by
one immensely strong, possessing power and splendor. He stood
there stationary - there on the highest horizon. Then he drew
near and hung suspended. He was two bow-lengths away or even closer.
Then He revealed to His servant what He revealed. His heart did
not lie about what he saw. What! Do you dispute with him about
what he saw? He saw him again another time by the Lote-tree of
the Final Limit, beside which is the Garden of Refuge, when that
which covered the Lote-tree covered it. His eye did not waver
nor did he look away. He saw some of the greatest signs of his
Lord. (Qur'an, 53:5-18)
He sent His Messenger
with the guidance and the religion of truth to exalt it
over every other religion and God suffices as a witness.
(Qur’an, 48:28)
 |
When the angels return to His presence, this does
not mean that they cease to exist, in the terms that apply in this
world. They merely move to another dimension and continue living
beyond our understanding. Similarly, the fact that Jesus (pbuh)
was raised to God's presence does not mean that he has died. Many
verses and hadith confirm the truth of this interpretation. Jesus
(pbuh) is alive in a dimension that surpasses our understanding.
Moreover, the fact that angels cross between two dimensions, as
God wills, shows that this transition is very easy when our Lord
so wills. When the time set forth by God comes, Jesus (pbuh) will
return to Earth and call people to religious moral values as the
messenger of God. (God knows best.)
All of this evidence indicates that those people
who deny that Jesus (pbuh) is still alive and will return fail to
appreciate God's power and might. Given that God, the All-Mighty
and All-Powerful, is sovereign over all things, He creates as He
wills and has infinite knowledge, whereas all human knowledge is
limited to that which God permits humanity to have. A human being
can only comprehend an event, how it takes place and the wisdom
behind it, to the extent permitted by God. The fact that Jesus (pbuh)
was purified of the unbelievers and raised to God's presence may
be one of those events that people cannot fully comprehend. A great
miracle took place when the unbelievers came to kill Jesus (pbuh).
Miracles are marvels that strengthen the believers' faith and cause
some unbelievers to turn to faith. After they see a miracle, believers
turn to God and appreciate His infinite might. Their awed respect
and sincere love for God is reinforced, and their enthusiasm and
excitement grow. The way that Jesus (pbuh) was protected from the
unbelievers' traps and departed from this dimension in both body
and soul is one of these miracles. When the time appointed by God
comes, another great miracle will take place: Jesus (pbuh) will
return to Earth. This fact has been imparted in verses and hadith,
and is a marvel that all believers need to ponder.
Other Indicative Accounts in the Qur'an
As stated at the beginning, one of the most serious
errors made by those who reject Jesus' (pbuh) ascension is their
failure to realize that God is not bound by time and space. In fact,
there are dimensions, all of which He created, that are unknown
and unperceived by humanity. This fact can help us understand the
proofs presented for this miraculous event. As the Qur'an states:
What are they waiting for, but
for God to come to them in the shadows of the clouds, together
with the angels, in which case the matter will have been settled?
All matters return to God. (Qur'an, 2:210)
Another verse reveals that all matters "ascend
to" God during "a day whose length is a thousand years," according
to the human comprehension of time:
He directs the whole affair from
heaven to Earth. Then it will again ascend to Him on a Day whose
length is a thousand years by the way you measure. (Qur'an, 32:5)
The fact that "God directs the whole affair" is
a proof that He is unbound by space and time. God knows everything
that happens in the universe, down to the tiniest detail. Nothing
can be hidden from our Lord, neither an action performed openly
nor one believed to have been carried out in secret. This is indicated
in the expression that all matters "ascend to God."
Another verse describes the position of the believers
who made the hijrah (migration) with Prophet Muhammad (may God bless
him and grant him peace), and reveals:
… If anyone leaves his home,
migrating to God and His messenger, and death catches up with
him, God will reward him... (Qur'an, 4:100)
The phrase "migrating to God" indicates that our
Lord is not bound by space. These believers left their homes and
migrated, together with Prophet Muhammad (may God bless him and
grant him peace), because of the unbelievers' oppression. They did
not, of course, migrate to God in the sense bounded by time and
space in which we think. Rather, this verse reveals that they left
their homes in the hope of God's mercy and compassion, and migrated
to a new home in obedience to the Prophet (may God bless him and
grant him peace). Abraham's (pbuh) words: "I am going towards my
Lord; He will be my guide" (Qur'an, 37:99), indicates his own migration.
In the same way, the Qur'an refers to people being
restored to life, after being put into a state resembling sleep
or killed, in a manner outside the familiar concepts of time, sleep,
and death. One of these is a reference to someone who was resurrected
after being left for dead for hundreds of years. Another refers
to the people of al-Kahf (the Companions of the Cave), who were
awoken after long years of sleep.
The Man Raised to Life after a Hundred Years
... that God
has power over all things and that God encompasses all things
in His knowledge. (Qur’an, 65:12)
 |
The Qur'an reveals:
Or the one who passed by a town
which had fallen into ruin? He asked: "How can God restore this
to life, when it has died?" God caused him to die for a hundred
years then brought him back to life. Then He asked: "How long
have you been here?" The man replied: "I have been here a day
or part of a day." He said: "Not so! You have been here for a
hundred years. Look at your food and drink - it has not gone bad
- and look at your donkey, so We can make you a sign for all humanity.
Look at the bones - how We raise them up and clothe them with
flesh." When it had become clear to him, he said: "Now I know
that God has power over all things." (Qur'an, 2:259)
God creates whatsoever He wills, in any manner
that He wills, and has dominion over all that exists. Unbound by
the concepts of time and space, our Lord can remove people from
these concepts whenever He wills and cause them to experience extraordinary
events. This is a very simple matter for God, for only humanity
- not God - is bound by time and space. But our Lord, Who is unbounded
by anything and is perfect in all respects, creates and makes something
happen by saying: "Be!" This is revealed in the following verses:
Our Word to a thing when We will
it is just to say to it "Be!" and it is. (Qur'an, 16:40)
He gives life and death. When
He decides upon an affair, He says to it "Be!" and it is. (Qur'an,
40:68)
… the Originator of the heavens
and Earth. When He decides on something, He just says to it "Be!"
and it is. (Qur'an, 2:117)
Waking the Companions of the Cave after Many Years
Another example is the Qur'anic account of the
Companions of the Cave, a group of young people who sought protection
from their oppressive ruler who opposed religious moral values.
The Qur'an reveals the following information about them:
When the young men took refuge
in the cave and said: "Our Lord, give us mercy directly from You
and open the way for us to right guidance in our situation." So
We sealed their ears with sleep in the cave for a number of years.
(Qur'an, 18:10-11)
You would have supposed them
to be awake, whereas, in fact, they were asleep. We moved them
to the right and to the left, and, at the entrance, their dog
stretched out its paws. If you had looked down and seen them,
you would have turned from them and run, filled with terror at
the sight of them. That was the situation when we woke them up
so they could question one another. One of them asked: "How long
have you been here?" They replied: "We have been here for a day
or part of a day." They said: "Your Lord knows best how long you
have been here. Send one of your number into the city with this
silver you have, so that he can see which food is purest and bring
you some of it to eat. But he should go about with caution, so
that no one is aware of you." (Qur'an, 18:18-19)
When
you have separated yourselves from them and everything they
worship except God, take refuge in the cave and your Lord
will unfold His mercy to you and open the way to the best
for you in your situation.’(Qur’an, 18:16)
 |
The Qur'an does not reveal how long these young
people remained in the cave, although the term "for a number of
years" reveals that the period they spent there was not a short
one. (God knows best.) Moreover, the Qur'an reveals that people
estimated that they spent 309 years in the cave. This is another
sign that their sleep lasted for quite a while:
They stayed in their cave for
three hundred years and added nine. Say: "God knows best how long
they stayed. The unseen of the heavens and Earth belongs to Him.
How perfectly He sees, how well He hears! They have no protector
apart from Him. Nor does He share His rule with anyone." (Qur'an,
18:25-26)
Under normal terrestrial conditions, people obviously
cannot sleep for such a long period. This sleep, therefore, may
not be the type of sleep with which we are familiar. Perhaps they
were taken into another dimension, one in which time and space do
not apply, and were later sent back to Earth. (God knows best.)
Just like people waking up from sleep, these people
also returned to life. In a similar way, Jesus (pbuh) will return
to life when he comes back to Earth and, after fulfilling the honorable
responsibility imposed on him by God, and, as a requirement of the
verse; He said: "On it [Earth] you will live and on it die, and
from it you will be brought forth," (Qur'an, 7:25) he will die
on Earth, like every other human being. (God knows best.)
Claim 3 and Its Refutation

If there had been any deities besides God in heaven or Earth,
they would both be ruined. Glory be to God, Lord of the Throne,
far beyond that which they claim! (Qur’an, 21:22)
|
Another claim made by those who do not believe
in Jesus' (pbuh) second coming is based on Qur'an 21:34-35. These
read as follows:
We did not give any human being
before you immortality. And if you die, will they then be immortal?
Every self will taste death. We test you with both good and evil
as a trial. And you will be returned to Us. (Qur'an, 21:34-35)
Some people cite these verses as proof that Jesus
(pbuh) is dead. However, by doing so they ignore the many clear
verses and hadith that proclaim that God protected and rescued Jesus
(pbuh) from the unbelievers' traps. The great majority of Islamic
scholars agree with this interpretation. Moreover, the fact that
Jesus (pbuh) did not die and was raised to God's presence does not
mean that he is immortal. Furthermore, such a mistaken idea is never
proposed when dealing with his second coming. All of the evidence
focuses on the facts that Jesus (pbuh) has not died yet, that he
will return to Earth, and that his death will take place after that.
(God knows best.)
These deluded people may make such a claim because
they have not fully examined or understood the clear evidence that
Jesus (pbuh) is not dead. As revealed in: "He is only a servant
on whom We bestowed Our blessing and whom We made an example for
the Children of Israel" (Qur'an, 43:59), Jesus (pbuh) is a mortal
servant created by God, just like everyone else. However, some Christians
mistakenly deified him because of the many blessings and miracles
that our Lord bestowed upon him. Muslims have a deep love and respect
for Jesus (pbuh), just as they do for all of God's prophets. But
they are also fully aware that just like all the other messengers,
he is no more than a servant created by God:
The Messiah, the son of Mary,
was only a messenger, before whom other messengers came and went.
His mother was a woman of truth. Both of them ate food. See how
We make the signs clear to them. Then see how they have gone astray.
(Qur'an, 5:75)
Claim 4 and Its Refutation
Some people suggest that because Christians believe
that Jesus (pbuh) is not dead and that he will return to Earth,
Muslims should not believe such mistaken claims. However, their
logic is seriously flawed.
First, it needs to be made clear that Judaism and
Christianity were corrupted over the course of time, and that superstitions
and errors entered into them. In addition, a close examination of
the Old and New Testaments reveals that a number of beliefs and
moral values belonging to the true religion have been preserved.
In addition, both books have several aspects in common with the
Qur'an. Thus, we can establish which beliefs have been corrupted
and which are compatible with the true religion by taking the Qur'an
and the Sunnah of our Prophet (may God bless him and grant him peace)
as our guides.
The Qur'an, the last divine book revealed by God,
turned people toward the true path and away from their misguided
beliefs. In fact, the Qur'an enabled the Christians and the Jews,
who had become divided from each other before its revelation, were
given true and divine information on these subjects. Several verses
reveal this truth, as follows:
We have only sent down the Book
to you so that you can make clear to them the things about which
they differ, and as a guidance and a mercy to people who believe.
(Qur'an, 16:64)
O People of the Book! Our messenger
has come to you, making clear to you much of the Book that you
have kept concealed, and passing over a lot. A Light has come
to you from God, and a Clear Book. (Qur'an, 5:15)
The Qur'an describes, in some detail, the lives
of Moses (pbuh) and Jesus (pbuh), the lives of their followers,
their moral values, how Muslims look at Jews and Christians, what
their attitudes toward them should be, and other such matters. One
piece of information is which Christian and Jewish beliefs and laws
have become corrupted. Heading this list is the Christian belief
that Jesus (pbuh) is God's son. (God is surely beyond that.) Based
upon this mistaken belief, they have sought to deify Jesus (pbuh).
The belief in the Trinity is another fundamental, but distorted,
Christian belief. God reveals that Christians have assumed a major
responsibility because they allowed such distortions to enter their
religion:
The Jews say: "Ezra is the son
of God," and the Christians say: "The Messiah is the son of God."
That is what they say with their mouths, copying the words of
those who did not believe before. God fight them! How corrupted
they are! (Qur'an, 9:30)
O People of the Book! Do not
go to excess in your religion. Say nothing but the truth about
God. The Messiah, Jesus son of Mary, was only the messenger of
God and His Word, which He cast into Mary, and a Spirit from Him.
So believe in God and His messengers. Do not say: "Three." It
is better that you stop. God is only One God. He is too glorious
to have a son. Everything in the heavens and Earth belongs to
Him. God suffices as a Guardian. (Qur'an, 4:171)
Those who say: "God is the Messiah,
son of Mary" are unbelievers. Say: "Who possesses any power at
all over God if He wills to destroy the Messiah, son of Mary,
and his mother, and everyone else on Earth?" The kingdom of the
heavens and Earth, and everything between them, belongs to God.
He creates whatever He wills. God has power over all things. (Qur'an,
5:17)
Another verse reveals the scale of the responsibility
assumed by Christians for developing corrupt beliefs:
They say: "The All-Merciful has
a son." They have devised a monstrous thing. The heavens are all
but rent apart, and Earth split open and the mountains brought
crashing down, at their ascription of a son to the All-Merciful!
It is not fitting for the All-Merciful to have a son. (Qur'an,
19:88-92)
On the other hand, Judaism and Christianity have
preserved such basic items of faith as belief in the Day of Judgment,
the prophets and angels, and various values (e.g., honesty, helping
others, being patient and altruistic, protecting and feeding the
needy, ensuring justice, speaking fair words, and being modest and
peace-loving). These items are found in all divine religions. Some
of the virtues of the People of the Book who sincerely believe in
God are revealed, as follows:
They are not all the same. There
is a community among the People of the Book who are upright. They
recite God's signs throughout the night, and they prostrate. They
believe in God and the Last Day, enjoin the right and forbid the
wrong, and compete in doing good. They are among the righteous.
You will not be denied the reward for any good thing you do. God
knows those who guard against evil. (Qur'an, 3:113-15)
The Christian belief that Jesus (pbuh) is not dead
and will return is fully present in the Qur'an, which also reveals
which aspects of Christianity are superstitious and which are divine.
Christians make several errors with regard to Jesus' (pbuh) ascension,
due to such corrupt beliefs as the Trinity and Jesus' (pbuh) so-called
status as God's son. In addition, their beliefs that he died to
atone for the sins of all humanity and that he ascended to God's
presence after dying on the Cross are incompatible with the true
religion. God reveals in the Qur'an that nobody can atone for the
sins of another, for every individual's deeds are his or hers alone.
Every person will be called to account on the Day of Judgment alone,
and nobody will be able to help anyone else, unless God wills it.
This is revealed in the following verse:
Whoever is guided is only guided
to his own good. Whoever is misguided is only misguided to his
detriment. No burden-bearer can bear another's burden. We never
punish until We have sent a messenger. (Qur'an, 17:15)
Jesus (pbuh), one of God's prophets and messengers,
called his people to a great truth: "God is my Lord and your
Lord, so worship Him. That is a straight path" (Qur'an, 3:51).
In other words, he called upon them to serve God alone and to live
the kind of lives that would meet with His good approval and warned
them against the sufferings of the Day of Judgment. Like all other
people, he could only do what God willed him to do. As revealed
in the verse that reports Abraham's (pbuh) prayer, God "gives
me food and gives me drink; and when I am ill, He heals me; He will
cause my death, then give me life; He Who I sincerely hope will
forgive my mistakes on the Day of Reckoning" (Qur'an, 26:79-82).
Christians, on the other hand, make a grave error by saying that
Jesus (pbuh) was crucified to atone for the sins of all humanity.
However, the Qur'an confirms their belief in the
second coming. If they had corrupted this belief, there is no doubt
that the Qur'an would have rectified this mistake, just as it rectifies
all of the corrupted beliefs and concepts that have entered Christianity
with respect to this great prophet. In conclusion, the unbelievers
did not kill Jesus (pbuh), for God raised him to His presence. Both
Christians and Muslims are waiting for his return. Until that time,
he continues to live in a dimension that is unbounded by time and
space and the nature of which is known only to our Lord.
Claim 5 and Its Refutation
One of the claims made by those who are unwilling
to accept the second coming is that "Believing in Jesus' (pbuh)
return means accepting Christianity."
Exalted be
God, the King, the Real. There is no deity but Him, Lord
of the Noble Throne. (Qur’an, 23:116)
 |
This error is the product of mistaken and distorted
logic. Jesus (pbuh) is a praised, selected, and unique prophet in
God's presence. His superior moral values and deep faith are remembered
with respect by all believers, who have adopted him as a role model.
Praising his moral values, feeling intense excitement at his impending
return, and telling all believers of these glad tidings are examples
of a proper attitude. Making irrational and illogical excuses, such
as the one given above, is unacceptable.
According to this distorted logic, nothing regarding
Christianity should ever be mentioned or discussed. In the same
way, Moses' (pbuh) correct moral values and exemplary life should
never be described, on the grounds that this would mean supporting
the Jews. Many Qur'anic verses praise Jesus (pbuh), Moses (pbuh),
Joseph (pbuh), Abraham (pbuh), and Jacob (pbuh), as well as their
deep faith. Yet according to this mistaken logic, these verses should
never be read. These excuses are clearly unacceptable. As we made
clear earlier, the People of the Book have several corrupted beliefs
and practices that are incompatible with the true religion. These
are revealed in the Qur'an, as is the fact that followers of both
religions have good and pleasing aspects and beliefs that are compatible
with the true religion. Our responsibility is to consider the People
of the Book in the light of the Qur'an and the Sunnah, and to distinguish
between truth and error with the information that we obtain from
these sources.
In addition, we must remember that Muslims make
no distinction among the prophets and that they hold these people
in great respect: "We believe in God and what
has been sent down to us; what was sent down to Abraham and Ishmael,
Isaac and Jacob, and the tribes; what Moses and Jesus were given;
and what all the prophets were given by their Lord. We do not differentiate
between any of them. We are Muslims submitted to Him" (Qur'an,
2:136). The fact that Jesus (pbuh) will return to Earth before the
Day of Judgment is not a subject that believers should refrain from
discussing on the grounds of irrational and illogical pretexts.
On the contrary, it is a glad tiding that should be constantly borne
in mind with great enthusiasm, passion, and joy.
Another fact reveals these people's error: When
Jesus (pbuh) returns, he will rule with the Qur'an. Like all of
the other prophets, Jesus (pbuh) is a follower of Islam, the true
and divine religion in God's presence. The Qur'an reveals these
facts in the following verses:
The religion with God is Islam.
(Qur'an, 3:19)
He has laid down the same religion
for you as He enjoined upon Noah: that which We have revealed
to you and which We enjoined on Abraham, Moses, and Jesus: "Establish
the religion and do not make divisions in it." What you call the
idolaters to follow is very hard for them. God chooses for Himself
anyone He wills and guides to Himself those who turn to Him. (Qur'an,
42:13)
When Jesus (pbuh) returns to Earth, he will eliminate
the distorted beliefs of the People of the Book, call people to
Islam, and rule with the Qur'an and the Sunnah. These glad tidings
are reported in the hadith:
He will lead you according to
the Book of your Lord and the Sunnah of your messenger.77
By the One in Whose hand is
my self, definitely the son of Mary will soon descend among you
as a just judge. He will break the Cross, kill the pig, and abolish
the jizya [a head tax on free non-Muslims living under Muslim
rule].78
Claim 6 and Its Refutation

Your Lord creates and chooses whatever He wills. The choice
is not theirs. Glory be to God! He is exalted above anything
they associate with Him!(Qur’an, 28:68)
|
Another claim is that "The return of Jesus (pbuh)
would eliminate the element of testing." According to this totally
groundless claim, those who witness the rising of someone who died
thousands of years ago and who have doubts about the resurrection
will come to have faith. Therefore, there will no longer be any
need for testing people.
This interpretation also lacks any logical foundation.
First, as stated before, Jesus (pbuh)did not die but is still alive
in God's presence. Moreover, not everyone will immediately accept
this event, as the people in question maintain. At first, Jesus
(pbuh) will be met with skepticism, especially from those who do
not live by true religious moral values or those who have weak faith.
After the second coming, Jesus (pbuh) will wage a great intellectual
struggle against all atheistic systems and ideologies, and return
the religion to its pure form by eliminating all of its corrupted
elements and beliefs. At the end of this struggle, the true religion's
moral values will rule the world. Indeed, the great Islamic scholar
Said Nursi showed that the great majority of people will greet Jesus
(pbuh) with skepticism, but that sincere believers will recognize
him by the light of his faith and immediately obey him:
God, the All-Wise and the Generous,
Who every time sends angels to Earth from heavens; sometimes renders
them in the form of a human being (as in the case of Gabriel,
who appeared in the form of Dihya [one of the Prophet's (may God
bless him and grant him peace) followers]; sends spirits from
the universe of spirits, making them appear in the form of human
beings; and Who even sends the spirits of the dead saints in their
former bodies to Earth, sends Jesus (pbuh) (whose body is in the
heavenly world and is alive) to Earth, even if he had really died
and gone to the remotest edge of the life of the Hereafter, making
him wrapped in a body, for the safe occurrence of the most important
issue of the religion of Jesus (pbuh) … Out of his divine purpose,
He promised, and because He promised, He will surely send. When
Jesus (pbuh) comes, not necessarily everyone will know that he
is really Jesus (pbuh). Those who are close to him and those with
profound faith will recognize him, thanks to the light of their
faith. Otherwise, not everyone will clearly recognize him.79
As this great teacher reported, when Jesus (pbuh)
returns, not everyone will recognize and believe in him. Moreover,
it must not be forgotten that most of the prophets sent throughout
history performed miracles by God's will in order to call people
to faith. However, a great many people still refused to believe,
despite these miracles. On the contrary, they became arrogant and
persisted in their unbelief, as did Pharaoh and his court, who refused
to believe, despite Moses' (pbuh) miracles (e.g., turning his staff
into a snake, and his hand becoming as white as snow). The people's
response to these miracles is revealed in the following terms:
They said: "No matter what kind
of sign you bring us to bewitch us, we will not believe in you."
So We sent down upon them floods, locusts, lice, frogs, and blood,
signs, clear and distinct, but they proved arrogant and were an
evil-doing people. (Qur'an, 7:132-33)
God also reveals that, unless He wills otherwise,
those who refuse to believe will not change their minds even if
they witness great miracles:
Even if We sent down angels to
them, the dead spoke to them, and We gathered together everything
in front of them right before their eyes, they would still not
believe unless God willed. The truth is that most of them are
ignorant. (Qur'an, 6:111)
Therefore, regardless of the miracle performed,
humanity's environment of testing will never be eliminated. Jesus'
(pbuh) second coming will be a means through which sincere believers
will be distinguished from those who do not believe. With the reason,
clear-sightedness, and foresight imparted by faith, sincere believers
will recognize Jesus (pbuh), obey him wholeheartedly, and support
and protect him. Unbelievers or those with weak faith will remain
skeptical and doubtful. (God knows best.) However, their groundless
doubts and skepticism will not alter the facts, for God's promise
of Jesus' (pbuh) return to Earth will be fulfilled, regardless of
anyone's plan to prevent this great miracle.
Claim 7 and Its Refutation
Another claim made by those who believe that Jesus
(pbuh) is dead is that the Qur'an reveals that Prophet Idris (pbuh)
was also "raised up." According to this claim, Jesus (pbuh), just
like Idris (pbuh), was only "raised up" in the sense of station
or rank. When the relevant verses are examined in detail, however,
this deduction is shown to be inaccurate. The relevant verses are
given below:
Mention Idris in the Book. He
was a true man and a prophet. We raised him up to a high place.
(Qur'an, 19:56-57)
… [I will] raise you [Jesus]
up to Me and purify you of those who are unbelievers. And I will
place the people who follow you above those who do not believe
until the Day of Resurrection… (Qur'an, 3:55)
And [on account of] their saying:
"We killed the Messiah, Jesus son of Mary, messenger of God."
They did not kill him and they did not crucify him, but it was
made to seem so to them... God raised him up to Himself. God is
Almighty, All-Wise. (Qur'an, 4:157-58)
Clearly, there is a great difference between these
two states. Since the other prophets' superior moral values and
faith are praised in the preceding verses, as is the case with Idris
(pbuh), it is revealed that he has been raised in station. However,
the verses that precede the one mentioning Jesus' (pbuh) ascension
discuss the unbelievers' plot against him and how God protected
him by raising him, body and soul, into another dimension unbounded
by space and time. Thus, Idris (pbuh) was raised in station, whereas
Jesus (pbuh) was physically removed from this dimension and raised
to God's presence. (God knows best.)
Claim 8 and Its Refutation
Another unfounded assertion made by some people
is that "Since Prophet Muhammad (may God bless him and grant him
peace) was the last prophet, Jesus (pbuh) will not return." This
has no basis in fact. First, it needs to be made clear that our
Prophet (may God bless him and grant him peace) is "the
messenger of God and the Final Seal of the prophets" (Qur'an,
33:40). The fact that Jesus (pbuh) will return to Earth does not,
as some people maintain, change that fact. Jesus (pbuh) will return
not as a prophet, but as a messenger who will maintain the law of
Prophet Muhammad (may God bless him and grant him peace) and cause
religious moral values to prevail worldwide.

Only argue with the People of the
Book in the kindest way – except in the case of those
of them who do wrong. (Qur’an, 29:46)
Abraham was neither a Jew
nor a Christian, but a man of pure natural belief –
a Muslim. He was not one of the idolaters.(Qur’an,
3:67) |
Other people put forward another irrational and
illogical claim: "If Jesus (pbuh) is not to return as a prophet,
then his coming will have no meaning." This violates both reason
and conscience. Our Lord has promised this event, behind which He
has placed great wisdom. Throughout history, God has shown people
the true path through the prophets that He has sent to them. Sometimes,
during periods when people had turned away from religious moral
values and degeneracy had become widespread, He removed people from
the darkness of their errors by sending them messengers. These messengers
are people sent by God as rulers, who have led people to salvation.
Indeed, the Qur'an reveals that people suffering woes and difficulties
have prayed to God to send them a savior and protector:
What reason could you have for
not fighting in the Way of God - for those men, women, and children
who are oppressed and exclaim: "Our Lord, take us out of this
city whose inhabitants are wrongdoers! Give us a protector from
You! Give us a helper from You!" (Qur'an, 4:75)
Of course, God answered these prayers and sent
them a savior from His presence, which is a very great blessing.
The accounts of Saul (pbuh) and Dhu'l Qarnayn (pbuh) constitute
important evidence that God has sent messengers as well as prophets
to various peoples. God sent Saul (pbuh) to his society as a ruler,
and the believers had to obey him. Saul (pbuh) and those around
him fought against Goliath, the unbelievers' leader. Sincere believers
devoted themselves to Saul (pbuh) and obeyed him, while the skeptics
could neither understand that Saul (pbuh) had been sent to them
as a messenger nor the wisdom in complying with his commands. The
ignorant reaction of such people is given in the Qur'an:
Their prophet said to them: "God
has appointed Saul to be your king." They replied: "How can he
have kingship over us when we have much more right to kingship
than he does? He does not even possess great wealth!" He said:
"God has chosen him over you and favored him greatly in knowledge
and physical strength. God gives kingship to anyone He wills.
God is All-Encompassing, All-Knowing." (Qur'an, 2:247)

God’s promise is true, but most of them do not know
it. (Qur’an, 10:55)
|
Similarly, Dhu'l Qarnayn was sent as a messenger
to his society in order to rescue its members from the difficulties
into which they had fallen, and to enable religious moral values
to prevail. The Qur'an reveals that God made this man a sound ruler:
They will ask you about Dhu'l-Qarnayn.
Say: "I will tell you something about him." We gave him power
and authority in the land and granted him a way to everything.
(Qur'an, 18:83-84)
In our own time, people are living in a world of
moral collapse, poverty, and cruelty in which injustice prevails.
When the time stipulated by God comes, Jesus (pbuh) will be sent
back to Earth to enable religious moral values to prevail and lead
people from the darkness into the light. With the second coming,
atheistic ideologies, which form the basis of cruelty and degeneration,
will be entirely eliminated on the intellectual level. And then,
by the will of God, the peace, security, and abundance for which
people are longing will come to prevail.
Claim 9 and Its Refutation
Other people with baseless doubts about Jesus'
(pbuh) exact status and return ask: "Why is Jesus (pbuh) being sent
to cause religious moral values to prevail, and not Prophet Muhammad
(may God bless him and grant him peace)?" Taking these concerns
as a pretext, they then raise all sorts of objections.
Our beloved Prophet Muhammad (may God bless him
and grant him peace) is an honored and trustworthy messenger in
God's sight. God revealed His last Book to this great man, who is
a role model of abiding by proper moral values, godliness and closeness
to God, a friend of God, and one superior in His sight. He is also
the friend, and protector of all believers. Throughout his life,
the Prophet (may God bless him and grant him peace) waged an exemplary
struggle in the path of God and enlightened Arabia, which was buried
in spiritual darkness and ignorance, with Islamic moral values.
When the time appointed by God came to an end, his life, like that
of many other prophets, came to an end.
However, God ordained a different destiny for Jesus
(pbuh) and promised him that he would return to Earth. This is our
Lord's discretion, and surely there is great wisdom behind it. One
element of that wisdom (God knows best) is that only such a miracle
will enable Christians and Jews to rescue themselves from the situation
in which they find themselves. Christians have many superstitions
and distorted dogmas, which the Muslims do not have, such as deifying
Jesus (pbuh). Thus, Jesus' (pbuh) second coming is of great importance,
for it will enable Christianity to rid itself of such distorted
beliefs and turn to the true religious moral values of Islam. Although
some Christians abide by the true path once they have seen it, others
regard this as a betrayal of Jesus (pbuh) and so avoid living by
true religious moral values. The fact is, however, that Jesus' (pbuh)
return and spreading of the message of the true religion among people
will make it easier for these people to turn to Islam in a more
rapid fashion. When their own prophet tells them that some of their
beliefs (e.g., the Trinity and Jesus' [pbuh] atonement for humanity's
sins) are mistaken, that God is the only deity and that the Qur'an
really is God's final revelation to humanity, Christians will sit
up and listen to him. This event will free them from ascribing partners
to God and other corrupt beliefs, and they will enter Islam in great
waves.
Remember that God has promised the believers that
religious moral values will prevail on Earth. However, this will
happen only if believers totally avoid all forms of polytheism,
whether direct or indirect, turn only to God, and worship only Him.
By the will of God, the second coming will represent the start of
this auspicious time.
God has promised those of you
who believe and do right actions that He will make them successors
in the land, just as He made those before them successors; will
firmly establish for them their religion, with which He is pleased;
and give them, in place of their fear, security. "They worship
Me, not associating anything with Me." Any who do not believe
after that, such people are deviators. (Qur'an, 24:55)
Claim 10 and Its Refutation
Yet another claim is a great deception: "Waiting
for Jesus (pbuh) will lead the faithful into idleness." This claim
is unacceptable to both reason and conscience. Throughout history,
people have sought saviors from God at times when immorality was
widespread and cruelty and injustice were on the increase. They
prayed to God to send them a messenger to lead them out of the darkness
and into the light. When God answers their prayers and sends messengers,
sincere believers support and defend them:
Those who believe in him, honor
and help him, and follow the Light that has been sent down with
him, they are the ones who are successful. (Qur'an, 7:157)
In fact, God's sending of a messenger represents
a major source of enthusiasm for true believers, for they know that
they need to make the best and finest preparations in order to prepare
the environment for him. People exert great effort to prepare themselves
and their environments, based upon their joy and love of belief,
for this great event. Idleness and apathy, on the other hand, are
characteristics of hypocrites and people of weak faith. Those whose
faith is weak do not fully believe in the messenger's coming, and
when that individual comes, they do not obey him sincerely. History
shows many examples of this. For example, the mental state of such
people in previous societies is revealed in the following verse:
They swore by God with their
most earnest oaths that if a warner came to them, they would be
better guided than any other community. But then when a warner
came to them, it only increased their aversion. (Qur'an, 35:42)

Say: ‘God’s is the conclusive argument. If He
had willed He could have guided every one of you.’
(Qur’an, 6:149)
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The Qur'an states that Jesus (pbuh) himself gave
the glad tidings that a prophet would come after him - after he
had been raised to God's presence. This represented great news,
both in Jesus' (pbuh) own time and for those believers who came
after. This verse states:
And when Jesus son of Mary said:
"O Children of Israel, I am the messenger of God to you, confirming
the Torah that came before me and giving you the good news of
a messenger after me, whose name is Ahmad." When he brought them
the clear signs, they said: "This is downright magic." (Qur'an,
61:6)
If any of these claims were true, then God would
not have revealed by means of Jesus (pbuh) that He would be sending
another messenger at a later date. Alternatively, this revelation
should have encouraged the people living at the time to engage in
idleness and apathy. However, there is great wisdom in our Lord's
giving glad tidings to people by means of a messenger, and, with
God's permission, true believers will never be idle or apathetic.
Believers have deep understanding and reason, both of which stem
from faith. Therefore, they comprehend the importance of a messenger's
tidings, experience the excitement and enthusiasm of those tidings,
and act in the awareness of the need to prepare themselves as much
as possible for this great event.
Those who maintain that Jesus (pbuh) is dead are
making a false claim. In addition, the interpretations they present
to prove their assertions do not reflect the truth. Our hope is
that this book will help all of these misguided people realize their
errors and abandon them. Such a moral value is a feature of believers
and is praised in the Qur'an.
In the Qur'an, God reveals that the believers do
not knowingly persist in error (Qur'an, 3:135) and abide by the
true path once they see it. The best and most accurate information
on this subject, as is the case with all matters, is that revealed
in the Qur'an and the hadith. In other words, Jesus (pbuh) is not
dead and was not killed. He will return to Earth when the appointed
time comes. Therefore, instead of seeking to ignore or deny this
clear truth by using groundless and flimsy interpretations, people
should consider just what his return will mean and be excited and
stimulated by it. True believers can pray to witness this great
event and to experience the environment of beauty and auspiciousness
that will ensue.
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72. Ibid., 10. 
73. Yazir, Hak Din Kuran Dili, www.kuranikerim.com/telmalili/imran.htm.
74. Sami Baybal, Ibrahimi Dinlerde Mesih’in Dönüsü
(The Return of the Messiah in Abrahamic Religions) (Yediveren Books:
2002), 177.
75. Ibn Kathir, Tafsir al-Qur’an al-‘Azim, 2:120.
76. Al-Sabuni, Safwat al-Tafasir, 1:375.
77. Sahih Muslim hadiths.
78. Sahih Bukhari and Sahih Muslim hadiths.
79. Bediuzzaman Said Nursi, Risale-i Nur Collection: The Letters,
59.
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